Last week I posted an essay on documentary/docudrama films, which is a genre which I think gets put to the side a lot. There should be a lot of appreciation for the documentary genre, afterall it's really helped shaped a lot of other movies we see today. Look at films such as What We Do In The Shadows, one of my favourite movies ever - which blends comedy and documentary into one and creates something that without the documentary element, it would be nowhere near as good. Hey, that's what inspired my film of last year, Best Friend.

So this brings me to one of my favourite documentary filmmakers, and filmmakers as a whole, Nick Broomfield. How best to describe Broomfield - if you're a Louis Theroux lover, you wouldn't be too far off with Nick, he has one of these very determined attitudes to getting everything he needs for his film and he'll go to whatever extent he can to produce not just fact and truth, but something different for the genre. Pure entertainment.

Be honest. Are documentaries entertaining? Suppose they are, but the genre seems to be a form of film that informs and creates something interesting. Entertainment could be something for them however, as they have definitely evolved over time, and Nick Broomfield I feel is a director who has been a part of this. He's a very charismatic guy, who will act as appropriately as he can for the needs of the film, he is afterall the presenter. But he goes to the extents of exerting truths and reactions of those he talks to through his genius acting and direction.

One film in particular is The Leader, The Driver and the Driver's Wife, which is one of my favourite documentaries of all time. In this documentary set during the final days of the apartheid regime in South Africa, to which Broomfield focuses on Eugene Terre'Blanche, founder and leader of a far right party. It's a great insight into some of the bizarre opinions and atrocities that occur around this group, but one scene in particular makes me laugh. It's not uncommon for a film to be funny, but Broomfield is super crafty. The entire film follows him trying to get an interview with Terre'Blanche, and when he finally does, he makes the leader look like an absolute buffoon by aggravating him (by turning up late because they went for some tea) and asking him questions which Terre'Blanche has a fit over. It's so great.

And even with some of the hilarious techniques he uses, Broomfield focuses on some of the most interesting stories involving some of the worlds most famous people - and creates something that be taken seriously but does have some great charm. Kurt and Courtney looks at the life of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and it follows Broomfield working his way through the conspiracy theories surrounding Cobain's suicide including those revolving around Courtney Love. I don't want to spoil too much but the final ten minutes or so are gold, and Nick Broomfield really doesn't care for those he may embarrass or look bad. That can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing, but in this case it's incredibly entertaining and something so different to see in a documentary film.

Nick is charming, witty and incredibly talented at what he does. I've provided a list below of film recommendations by him you might want to watch, many of them are on Netflix so that's some easy viewing! If you like Louis Theroux I have a feeling you'll love Broomfield. He's different and offers the documentary film something else entirely. I'm eagerly excited for what he gives us next.

- The Leader, the Driver and the Driver's Wife

- His Big White Self

- Kurt and Courtney 

- Biggie and Tupac

- Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer

- Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer